Toby's Last Memory
by Anisney-Robin
Summary: Based off my favourite scene in the new Astro Boy film which I LOVE . Tenma has built Astro and chooses not to have his new son remember the last few days of his life...but one little memory slips through, Toby's last and more striking memory.
1. Chapter 1

Toby's Last Memory

-Inspired by my fave scene from the new Astro Boy film, I know not many like it but I love it! Takes place BETWEEN before Toby dies and when Astro wakes up in the morning.

Disclaimer: Don't own Astro boy the original, nor the newly revamped version (although I prefer the new one, but to each his own) they belong to Imagi, Osamu Tezuka and David Bowers etc... etc... Wish I did own it but, only the idea for this story is mine.

Description: The Grieving father, Dr. Tenma has just built Astro and infused his child's memories into him and chooses not to have his replacement son remember the last few days leading up to the tragic events of his death...but one little memory slips through, Toby's last and more striking memory.

**

**

Moments before Toby remembered thinking that the weaponized machine was amazing. Its adaptive technology modified its armour and by connection, its artillery, as it required. The battle between the emotionless droids had filled the air with an array of fireworks made of red and yellow beams. They seemed far more harmless in comparison to their actual deadly nature.

It had been fun to watch until things had taken a turn for the worst. The robot turned against its creators. As he had watched from the sidelines, he remembered feeling exhilarated as well as slightly scared for his father as the Peacekeeper charged full throttle towards the unprotected beings.

Out of the corner of the young boy's eye he saw the boney arm of his father lift up, as he turned his attention momentarily towards him he realized that he was activating the shield.

Toby had been told to stay in a 'safe' place, which was in the janitor's closet that one of the guards had put him in. No one had known or even had the chance to realize that the sly boy had slipped out of the enclosure and snuck into the demonstration laboratory. Feeling slightly safer that the shield was lowering at an increasing speed, he relaxed knowing that he'd be safe with the others…until he noticed his location…at the other end of the lab. The side that was being closed off from the Peacekeeper was at the opposite end. As soon as the glass would have hit the floor and locked its position, it would stay there unless someone was to open it in emergency.

Toby raced towards the clear shield just as the Peacekeeper collided with it at such an unbelievable speed that the thick protective glass shook violently. He reached his destination as the shaking stopped. He pulled back to hit the glass and call for help, when smoke and sparks flew from the opening in the ceiling in which the shield had emerged from.

"Dad! Dad!" Toby screamed as he pounded on the glass barrier, catching the shocked and horror stricken Tenma and Elefun's attentions.

"TOBY!"

"DAD! HELP! PLEASE HELP ME!" He looked at his father and his co-worker desperately pressing buttons on the console. As he watched his father yell and nothing move, his panic levels skyrocketed. Feelings of anxiety coursed through his veins and he felt himself go red from the exertion of pounding on the glass barricade.

"DAD!! DAD!!" His voice raised and quickened in a vain attempt at willing the machine to function again. All the while banging his thick hands against the barrier.

The Peacekeeper's red core light blared through the glass and shone onto their panicked faces. The deadly rogue of a robot pulled his club of an arm, back menacingly before delivering two earsplitting strikes to the shield. They rattled Toby's head so sharply that he bent over in reflexive pain,

"Stop it!" he yelled to the machine. As he looked up, his father had raced towards him and was pressing his hands against the barricade, yelling his name.

"Dad HELP!!"

"TOBY!"

"DAD!" He continued to desperately look from his father to the deadly robot beside him, hoping that the latter would remain less violent and not strike out again.

"It's going to be okay Toby. I'm going to get you out! Everything's going to be fine. I promise." The more he tried to comfort his son, the harder the lies seemed to be to tell, and the more dread and desperation crept onto his face.  
Trying to be strong for his son he kept eye contact with him, but as he spoke to Toby, the panic and fear in his son's eyes got to be too much for the scientist and he remained silent. Tenma could see the large eyes widening as his child's young face stretched in distress and silent resignation.

Toby's little chest picked up in further anxiety and heaved nervously as the foreboding red core energy grew horrendously gigantic in the cold metallic palms of the Peacekeeper.  
A whirring noise came from the Peacekeeper and almost instantaneously the red core blast had enveloped all in its deadly and powerful glow, leaving those who resided beyond the shield hanging in horror and anticipation.

**

TBC... Reviews would be kindly appreciated :)


	2. Chapter 2 version 1

Toby's Last Memory

-Inspired by my fave scene from the new Astro Boy film, I know not many like it but I love it! Takes place BETWEEN before Toby dies and when Astro wakes up in the morning.

Disclaimer: Don't own Astro boy the original, nor the newly revamped version (although I prefer the new one, but to each his own) they belong to Imagi, Osamu Tezuka and David Bowers etc... etc... Wish I did own it but only the idea for this story is mine.

Description: The Grieving father, Dr. Tenma has just built Astro and infused his child's memories into him and chooses not to have his replacement son remember the last few days leading up to the tragic events of his death...but one little memory slips through, Toby's last and more striking memory.

note: This is version 1 of chapter 2. This version happens exactly like the movie buuuuut I am making a second one, which is different and things happen to make it a bit more emotional.

The reason why I did this is because, where this story takes place in the movie I could either follow the movie exactly until I get to that point where I add things in to fill a gap in the movie...OR I go about it the way I see fit :P There may be more version one and two sort of chapters in the next chapter or two. **

Surprisingly, the blinding light of the deadly red core receded back into the stationary Peacekeeper's chest.

The tall and lanky doctor stared for a moment, stunned, at the place where his young son had been pounding on the glass moments before. Nothing stood in his place.

Scorch marks were burnt into the floor around the machine including where his son had been standing. A thick layer of dust and debris hung in the air, mimicking the atmosphere.

"TOBY!" he cried, as a look of disbelief and desperation passed over his face. He reached out for his son as if it were moments before and the shield had not been there.

Suddenly, perhaps jolted back to animation by the sound of the human, the Peacekeeper's head snapped up and eyed the barrier, which still stood in its way.

The others, who stood safely behind the shield, glanced at one another anxiously as the creation merely stood and stared fixatedly at the barricade before it.

The words 'SHIELD INTACT' and 'ABSORB' beeped and flashed on the red-tinted periscope-like computer screen the robot had for vision. With one massive metal arm pressed to the shield, the glass began to melt. It bubbled and rippled and ultimately was sucked away, at an increasing speed, into the hole at the end of its arm.

Stunned, he slowly withdrew his hand from the burning glass. Stumbling back a few paces, the pale and clearly distraught Professor used the barrier to lean on.

"Fire now!" President Stone ordered the guards while he ran back to safety. The line of guards armed with high grade machine-guns and upper body armour, fired a continuous barrage of bullets at the monstrous robot. The Peacekeeper, who had started to climb through the melted shield hole, which it had made, was affected little by the shots.

Standing tall, the high-pitched reverberating bullets hit its chest plate and merely pushed it back and away from the hole. As it fought against the motion, quick thinking Dr. Elefun, who had ducked moments before to avoid the stream of bullets, noticed the two large core cables.

Thoughts and possibilities ran through his mind and one plan jumped out at him. Acting fast on his feet, the short Professor wrenched the massive blue core cable from its source and inching his way forward, he jabbed the sharp blue prongs of the cable into the red core residing in the Peacekeeper's chest.

Once the two cores had connected an electrifying surge shook the robot violently. Almost instantaneously, the dominant blue core erupted beneath its chest plate and the machine was blown backwards. The force was powerful enough to eradicate the connection between the Peacekeeper and the droids it had absorbed. Each of the robots scattered along the floor.

The smaller round droids hit the ground and rolled further away, while the massive body of the Peacekeeper collided with the scorched metal surface producing sparks and an earsplitting noise. As the robot's red core shut down and slowly faded out, the functioning shield lifted before the distressed father's face.

Breathing deeply, he walked forward into the debris and called out,

"Wh-where's Toby? Where's my son?"

President Stone, looking completely unaffected by the disastrous scene he had just caused, walked forward to inspect the unresponsive machine, which had nearly killed them all moments before.

The short man approached his grief stricken co-worker and friend.

"I am so sorry…Tenma."

Scanning the wreckage of the horribly failed experiment, a small red dome-like object caught the tall Professor's eye. With a sorrowful exhale, the father stepped forward and almost instantly, a look of recognition passed through his features. Collapsing to his knees once he was near enough to recognize the object, his eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open. It was his son's cap. The little red hat was dusty and understandably beaten up.

"No…" He breathed disbelievingly, as he slowly reaching forward to pick it up. The cap had never been cherished so much as in that one moment, when squeezed it to his chest and remembered his beloved son.

"Toby…" He whispered.

Dr. Elefun remained tight-lipped and still, allowing his friend to grieve in silence for as long as necessary. The little battered and abused cap was wrung tightly between the father's fingers as a thought, a moment of truth, hit him. He opened his eyes as if in pain and doubled over, curling forward closer to the floor.

"Its all my fault" he breathed heavily.

tbc... well actually, it'll be continued but only after I post Chapter 2 version 2 :D (reviews are appreciated, flamers are not :P oh also, wanted to know. Do you think I should name the chapters? its a trivial thing but it bugs me)


	3. Chapter 2 version 2

Toby's Last Memory

-Inspired by my fave scene from the new Astro Boy film, I know not many like it but I love it! Takes place BETWEEN before Toby dies and when Astro wakes up in the morning.

Disclaimer: Don't own Astro boy the original, nor the newly revamped version (although I prefer the new one, but to each his own) they belong to Imagi, Osamu Tezuka and David Bowers etc... etc... Wish I did own it but, only the idea for this story is mine.

Description: The Grieving father, Dr. Tenma has just built Astro and infused his child's memories into him and chooses not to have his replacement son remember the last few days leading up to the tragic events of his death...but one little memory slips through, Toby's last and more striking memory.

note: This is version 2 of chapter 2. This version is like version one up until the shield goes up, then its a more emotional spin.

Surprisingly, the blinding light of the deadly red core receded back into the stationary Peacekeeper's chest.

The tall and lanky doctor stared for a moment, stunned, at the place where his young son had been pounding on the glass moments before. Nothing stood in his place.

Scorch marks were burnt into the floor around the machine including where his son had been standing. A thick layer of dust and debris hung in the air, mimicking the atmosphere.

"TOBY!" he cried, as a look of disbelief and desperation passed over his face. He reached out for his son as if it were moments before and the shield had not been there.

Suddenly, perhaps jolted back to animation by the sound of the human, the Peacekeeper's head snapped up and eyed the barrier, which still stood in its way.

The others, who stood safely behind the shield, glanced at one another anxiously as the creation merely stood and stared fixatedly at the barricade before it.

The words 'SHIELD INTACT' and 'ABSORB' beeped and flashed on the red-tinted periscope-like computer screen the robot had for vision. With one massive metal arm pressed to the shield, the glass began to melt. It bubbled and rippled and ultimately was sucked away, at an increasing speed, into the hole at the end of its arm.

Stunned, he slowly withdrew his hand from the burning glass. Stumbling back a few paces, the pale and clearly distraught Professor used the barrier to lean on.

"Fire now!" President Stone ordered the guards while he ran back to safety. The line of guards armed with high grade machine-guns and upper body armour fired a continuous barrage of bullets at the monstrous robot. The Peacekeeper, who had started to climb through the melted shield hole, which it had made, was affected little by the shots. Standing tall, the high-pitched reverberating bullets hit its chest plate and merely pushed it back and away from the hole.

As it fought against the motion, quick thinking Dr. Elefun, who had ducked moments before to avoid the stream of bullets, noticed the two large core cables. Thoughts and possibilities ran through his mind and one plan jumped out at him. Acting fast on his feet, the short Professor wrenched the massive blue core cable from its source and inching his way forward, he jabbed the sharp blue prongs of the cable into the red core residing in the Peacekeeper's chest.

Once the two cores had connected an electrifying surge shook the robot violently. Almost instantaneously, the dominant blue core erupted beneath its chest plate and the machine was blown backwards. The force was powerful enough to eradicate the connection between the Peacekeeper and the droids it had absorbed. Each of the robots scattered along the floor. The smaller round droids hit the ground and rolled further away, while the massive body of the Peacekeeper collided with the scorched metal surface producing sparks and an earsplitting noise. As the robot's red core shut down and slowly faded out, the functioning shield lifted before the distressed father's face.

Breathing deeply, he walked forward into the debris and called out,

"Wh-where's Toby? Where's my son?"

President Stone, looking completely unaffected by the disastrous scene he had just caused, walked forward to inspect the unresponsive machine, which had nearly killed them all moments before. All of those who had been hidden by the shield spread throughout the other half of the room to investigate the damage.

One of the armed guards motioned over his shoulder.

"Uh… President Stone? I think you should come have a look."

"What is it?"

"I don't really want to explain it, sir."

Dr. Elefun, being nearer, walked towards the guard and looked at the source of intrigue. Placing his hand over his mouth he closed his eyes and turned away.

Scanning the wreckage of the horribly failed experiment, a small red dome-like object caught the tall Professor's eye. With a sorrowful exhale, the father stepped forward and almost instantly, a look of recognition passed through his features. It was his son's cap. The little red hat was dusty and understandably beaten up.

He slowly reached forward to pick it up. The cap had never been cherished so much as in that one moment when the father squeezed it to his chest and remembered his beloved son.

None of the others in the room paid any particular attention to the guard and the shorter doctor, except Dr. Tenma.

The short man approached the grief stricken father.

"I am so sorry…Tenma."

Having seen his co-worker's reaction, and lack of recognition for the precious object tightly held in his long pointed fingers, a look of horror danced across his face. His thoughts immediately jumped to his missing child.

"What is it?" The Professor asked apprehensively. When he received no answer from his melancholy co-worker, he ran towards the guard, panicked.

Collapsing to his knees once he was near enough to recognize the object of intrigue, his eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open. It was his son.

"No…Toby" He breathed disbelievingly.

Among the debris and rubble, there lay the badly burnt body of his young son. From where they stood, Toby had fallen with his back facing them. Legs splayed on the ground and one arm bent at an awkward angle behind his back. His blue hoodie, white shirt and jeans, were singed and torn revealing the dark and bloodied patches of what used to be the soft unmarred skin of his side and back. His hands appeared scuffed and scratched, undoubtedly from desperately pounding on the glass. But when the Professor reached out and slowly turned his son over, a heart wrenching sight met his eyes. The front of his exposed shirt was torn apart and charred quite badly near large cuts and the side that was nearest to the Peacekeeper when the explosion occurred.

But as if an angelic shield had been erected moments before, his face was only mildly burnt. Toby's eyes were closed as if he was merely sleeping, his mouth hung open slightly and his neatly gelled hair was blown every which way.

"Toby…" He whispered.

For a moment the Professor pulled back, before gathering himself and desperately grabbing at his son. Clutching the limp body tightly to his thin chest he noticed that it was still warm and slightly hot to the touch, which was probably from the blast. He thought to himself that this was the first time in a long while that he had held his child. The physical contact made the father's heart swell with joy but it lasted for only a brief moment before the thought-deafening reality, that it would also be the last time, came crashed down on the man. He hid his long and slender face in the crook of his child's neck. Rubbing his cheek to that of his son, he recalled the past and before another thought popped into his head, the man began to crumple. His shoulders tensed, his legs pulled in beneath him tightly and his back hunched over the little body. Tears began to rush down his as he cradled the child under him.

"Oh Toby…its all my fault…if only I had…if only I hadn't….oh Toby…I should've spent more time with you. I should've kept my promises…my son…my little boy…" he sobbed quietly.

Dr. Elefun bowed his head and looked away from the painful scene, so that his sobbing friend could grieve in peace. The doctor listened to the heartbreaking sounds of the father saying a last agonizing goodbye to his son who would not hear it. He took a deep breath and tried to hold back his own tears as he kept his head down, it hurt to have to listen and know that the most powerful, emotional and loving things this father would ever say to his son would fall on deaf ears.

tbc... reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated, flamers are not :P

note: Wanted to know the opinions of my few readers about which version of chapter 2 I should use to continue the story.

Should I use version 1 and continue the story on as if it were the movie which was spun into this continuation?

OR should I use this different version (2), where there is an actual body left behind, leading to a possible funeral or other things, then continuing onward into the creation of Astro afterwards?

OR an even longer way out, I could do one of each, just like these Chapter 2 version 1 and 2, where it happens like the movie in one, and then happens in how I'd like to see it in another?


	4. Chapter 3

Toby's Last Memory

-Inspired by my fave scene from the new Astro Boy film, I know not many like it but I love it! Takes place BETWEEN before Toby dies and when Astro wakes up in the morning.

Disclaimer: Don't own Astro boy the original, nor the newly revamped version (although I prefer the new one, but to each his own) they belong to Imagi, Osamu Tezuka and David Bowers etc... etc... Wish I did own it but, only the idea for this story is mine.

Description: The Grieving father, Dr. Tenma has just built Astro and infused his child's memories into him and chooses not to have his replacement son remember the last few days leading up to the tragic events of his death...but one little memory slips through, Toby's last and more striking memory.

**note: This is continuing from chapter 2 version 2, where Tenma discovers Toby's body. And all the other chapters are fixed :D

_Dr. Elefun bowed his head and looked away from the painful scene, so that his sobbing friend could grieve in peace. The doctor listened to the heartbreaking sounds of the father saying a last agonizing goodbye to his son who would not hear it. He took a deep breath and tried to hold back his own tears as he kept his head down, it hurt to have to listen and know that the most powerful, emotional and loving things this father would ever say to his son would fall on deaf ears._

From his crumpled position the father lifted his tear-stained face and rose with the frail body of his deceased child in his arms.

"T-Tenma? Wh-where are you going?"

The little red cap lay on the dirty floor feet away. No one paid the important little object any mind.

"Laboratory." The professor answered simply to his co-worker. Dr. Elefun's eyes went wide in confusion. The tall man stared straight ahead and practically marched himself towards the exit, as if trying not to think too hard about what he was doing.

"Your labora-why? Why not the hospital?" His small legs tried desperately to keep up with the long legs of the seemingly possessed father. The man continued walking onwards with a blank expression on his face. The smaller man found something very odd in the way the grieving father was behaving. He stopped to pick up the fallen cap and dust it off before sternly looking at his friend.

"Tenma. What are you going to do with him?"

Dr. Tenma stopped mid stride and stood facing his exit with uncertainty. Several moments passed.

"Tenma. What are you going to do with Toby?"

As if spurred by the name of his son, the father turned towards his friend.

"He signed a paper when he was younger that said that he wanted his body to be donated to science, a-and he wouldn't do any good to anyone lying in a box for the rest of his life! I'm doing the right thing!" The words sounded as if they were more for convincing himself than his co-worker. Realizing his breaking resolve and the uncertain look on his friend's face, Dr. Tenma spun on his heels and continued towards the doors, this time at a more hurried pace.

"I'm doing the right thing. I'll make him better so that I can be a better father to him."

Dr. Elefun was left standing, shocked, in the middle of the giant damaged room, staring at the door, mouth slack. He gently held the red cap that he found discarded on the floor and ran his fingers along the edges until he looked up and spoke towards the empty door, "The right thing for whom?"

tbc…reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated, flamers are not :P

note: it is most likely that the story will continue on from chapter 2 version 2 as it is now, with no other alternate chapters.

I know this chapter was short, I was going to continue but I found a nice clean end to a scene mid way so I stopped and will continue in another chapter.

I'll make it up to you soon with more chapters just give me a little big more time.

ENJOY!


End file.
